Trying out a new craft isn’t just an enjoyable way to spend an afternoon. Creative hobbies can be a bonding moment with your friends and family and be a nice indoor activity that doesn’t involve sitting in front of a screen. 

Creative activities and self-care projects are also scientifically proven to boost mental well-being. One review of eleven mental health studies found that creative activities can both heal and protect your mental health. By reducing blood pressure and stress and boosting the immune system and feelings of self-expression, doing creative and mindful crafts can help you feel better as the sun starts setting earlier and cold weather kicks in. 

Fall’s slower pace and warm atmosphere also makes it the perfect season to cozy up and craft. Even if you don’t consider yourself a creative person, these creative self-care ideas and activities are accessible classes that don’t require a ton of creative skills or difficult-to-find materials to get started. 

1. Watercolor Paper Pumpkins

Three paper pumpkins sit on a piece of purple paper. The pumpkins are painted with orange and red watercolor. Four red leaves sit around and on the pumpkins. 
These watercolor pumpkins will last for seasons to come. 

Project: Watercolor Paper Pumpkins: Luxe Crafts for Autumn by Peggy Dean

About This Project:
For all ages and skill levels, this autumnal art activity is a creative way for anyone to spend a relaxing afternoon. You’ll make watercolor paper pumpkins of all sizes using materials you probably already have around the house. 

What You'll Make: Watercolor paper pumpkins that can be used as table decor, home decor or just as a calming fall activity. 

Materials Required: 

  • Watercolor paper 
  • Watercolor paint 
  • Large paintbrush (Teacher Peggy Dean uses a 1” wash brush) 
  • Scissors 
  • Thread or glue 
  • Crepe paper (or newspaper / tissue paper / any thin paper)

Why We Love It:
As an activity that can keep all ages engaged, this paper pumpkin activity works well for families, friends or as a solo craft. 

Make a pair of paper pumpkins for your home!

2. Painting Autumn Leaves and Mushrooms with Watercolors

A red and orange watercolor painting of a leaf on white paper sits on a wooden table. The painting is surrounded by watercolor sets, dried leaves and walnuts. 
Once you learn how to make watercolor paintings of autumn leaves, you can use your new skill to make art prints or greeting cards. 

Project: Watercolor Painting Daily Challenge: 12 Days of Autumn Leaves & Mushrooms by Elina Zhelyazkova

About This Project: This twelve-day watercolor painting challenge will leave you with a dozen leaf and mushroom watercolor paintings and tips to help make art a part of your daily routine. 

What You'll Make: You’ll paint six different watercolor leaves and six different watercolor mushrooms that will only take about thirty minutes each. 

Materials Required: 

  • Watercolor paints 
  • Watercolor paper
  • Watercolor brushes 
  • A palette to mix your paints
  • Pencil, eraser, ruler
  • Board and paper tape
  • Paper or cotton towels

Optional: Spray bottle

Why We Love It:
With a dozen different fall-inspired art ideas, you can choose to follow along with just one lesson or all twelve, which means it can fit into anyone’s busy schedule.

Get cozy and stay consistent with your art practice with this autumnal art challenge!

3. Make and Photograph a Chai Latte

The photo is split into two sections. The left section is a picture of a chai latte from above. It is sprinkled with cinnamon and has a little piece of dried cinnamon park and a star anise sitting on top of the frothed milk. The right section shows the chai latte next to a wooden spoon, a piece of wood, a feather and a leaf. 
With this project, your new photography skills will come with a beautiful and delicious chai latte. 

Project: Dreamy Chai Latte: Make and Photograph a Cozy Stylized Beverage by Tabitha Park

About This Project:
In this at-home photography exercise, you’ll discover styling and composition techniques and lighting and photography tips, all while creating an Instagram-worthy shot of a cozy fall beverage. 

What You'll Make: An expertly styled and captured photograph of a chai tea latte or hot chocolate. 

Materials Required: 

  • Camera
  • Natural or artificial lighting (Tabitha uses an Aputure 120d2 with a Lightdome SE) 
  • Chai tea or hot chocolate ingredients

Optional: Props like a wooden spoon and plants, backdrop and tracing paper roll 

Why We Love It:
As a professional photographer and overall creative, Tabitha has a lot of photography tips that you can use in other photography projects. Plus, you’ll learn how to make an aesthetically pleasing chai latte along the way.

Photograph a cozy chai latte!

4. Urban Nature Journaling

This photo is split into two sections. The section on the left features a girl wearing a knit hat and scarf standing in a forest. She is holding her “Urban Nature Journal” open, revealing its colorful and pattern-filled pages. The section on the right features two hands painting a blue floral pattern in a notebook. The notebook sits on a table next to a set of watercolors. 
Get creative with patterns and colors while discovering the art of urban nature journaling. 

Project: Urban Nature Journaling: 7 Days of Artistic Prompts by Rosalie Haizlett

About This Project: Discover the fun, stress-free practice of urban nature journaling where you’ll find, observe and paint natural colors and patterns around you using watercolors and a little bit of imagination. 

What You'll Make: By the end of this class, you’ll have filled seven pages of your nature journal after creatively documenting the natural world around you. 

Materials Required: 

  • Pencil 
  • Eraser 
  • Sketchbook with thicker, mixed media paper (a couple sheets of loose sketching paper and a hard surface like a notebook or clipboard to draw on will work too!)
  • Black and white drawing supplies like a fine-tipped drawing pen, a regular ball-point pen or charcoal pencils
  • Colored art supplies like watercolor pencils, watercolor paints, markers or crayons

Optional: Magnifying glass or phone that has a good zoom lens 

Why We Love It:
This class isn’t about creating a frame-worthy work of art but rather developing a curious, creative mindset and spending a mindful moment soaking up the natural beauty of fall. Art journaling is also one of the best types of journaling for peace of mind.

Use these seven art journaling prompts to discover unexpected natural treasures right in your neighborhood!

5. Create Beautiful Autumn Watercolor Pages for Your Sketchbook

A sketchbook sits on a white table. The sketchbook pages are filled with hues of orange and brown and different patterns. The sketchbook is surrounded by paintbrushes, tubes of paint, a candle and flowers. 
Fill your sketchbook with autumn-inspired art. 

Project: Autumn Sketchbook Ideas: Create Beautiful Watercolor Pages by Olga Bonitas

About This Project: Celebrate the season of fall by using shapes, colors and watercolor techniques to create an autumn-inspired sketchbook spread. 

What You'll Make: You’ll split your page into diamonds and circles and fill each with a pattern, shape, color or small illustration that reminds you of fall. By the end of this moment of self-care, you’ll have two new beautiful and bright sketchbook pages. 

Materials Required: 

  • Sketchbook 
  • Watercolors, paints or colored pencils
  • Brushes 
  • Ruler 
  • Eraser
  • Postcards, magazine clippings, or photos

Optional: Gold fabric paint or gold gel pen/marker

Why We Love It:
Painting patterns is relaxing, mind-clearing and enjoyable. It’s a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon or Friday night when you need to take a break from your busy life. 

Fill your sketchbook with beautiful fall-inspired patterns and colors!

6. Knit a Cozy Chunky Headband

Two hands sit on a knit, orange-brown colored headband on a white background. 
Keep your ears warm or add a knitted statement piece to your outfit with this chunky headband

Project: Knitting for Total Beginners: Knit a Cozy Chunky Headband by Izabela Grzybek

About This Project: Discover three basic knitting techniques, including how to cast on, knit and close your stitches while making a thick and cozy headband with an elegant twist. 

What You'll Make: You’ll use thick yarn and a pair of knitting needles to make a chunky knitted headband. 

Materials Required: 

  • Approx. 50g of bulky-weight yarn or any yarn you have at home
  • 8 mm (US 11) straight or circular knitting needles (or in size matching your yarn)
  • Tapestry needle
  • Scissors

Why We Love It:
Knitting is a portable and accessible activity that can promote mindfulness and relaxation on the go. You can fill your long commutes, moments before bed or quiet mornings with a moment of self-care by knitting yourself this cozy headband. 

Knit a warm and stylish headband! 

7. Create Autumn Envelope Art Using a Gel Plate

Four different colored envelopes sit on a wood background. A pink patterned envelope reads “Happy fall y’all.” 
Add some beauty to a loved one’s mailbox by sending them a card in a colorful envelope. 

Project: Autumn Envelope Art with Gel Plate Techniques for Beautiful Happy Mail by Tammy Prara

About This Project: Learn gel plate printing techniques to turn a plain white envelope into a work of art. You’ll use inks and acrylics to make a one-of-a-kind design that can also be used to decorate journal pages, collages or in other art projects. 

What You'll Make: You’ll use a gel plate to cover a white envelope with colorful abstract patterns. Pair one with a beautifully wrapped gift or a handwritten note you’d like to mail with a friend. You’ll also add a simple label which can be used for an address or to write an autumn-inspired greeting. 

Materials Required: 

  • Gel plate
  • Envelopes
  • Ink pads, ink and/or paint 
  • Brayer roller
  • Paper

Optional: Mark-making tools like bubble wrap and stencils, shipping labels and scissors

Why We Love It:
You can coordinate your envelopes to a party theme, gift wrap or season, making it a versatile craft. Plus, gel plate printing feels almost meditative, making it a relaxing and mindful activity for any time of day. 

Print abstract and colorful patterns onto white envelopes using a gel plate!

8. Sew a DIY Sushi Catnip Toy

Chopsticks hold a piece of fabric sushi. In the background, two pieces of fabric salmon and tuna nigiri and a California roll sit on a wooden cutting board. 
Spend an evening sewing a catnip toy for a furry friend. 

Project: DIY Sushi Catnip Toy: 8 Minute Easy Sewing Craft by Amy Plante

About This Project: Find a cozy spot to get crafty and learn basic sewing techniques all while putting together a toy any cat in your life will love. 

What You'll Make: You’ll hand sew a sushi catnip toy made with a few inexpensive materials you might already have at home. 

Materials Required: 

  • Craft felt
  • Thread
  • Sewing needle
  • Scissors
  • Batting or stuffing
  • Catnip

Why We Love It: As the crisp air of fall welcomes in cozy energy, hand sewing something is a relaxing activity you can do from the comfort and warmth of your couch. 

Make a sushi catnip toy for your favorite furry friend!

9. Craft Cozy Embroidered Christmas Ornaments

An embroidered ornament featuring a reindeer sits on a blue background. Two skeins of embroidery floss, a ball of yarn, two candy canes and a star ornament surround the embroidered ornament. 
Add a handcrafted ornament to your Christmas decorations this year. 

Project: Crafting Cozy Christmas Ornaments: Embroidery Using Raffia, Felt, Beads by Catherine Never

About This Project: Explore embroidery techniques while making two Christmas ornament designs using natural cotton fabric, embroidery threads, raffia and felt. You’ll also learn how to add artful touches like beads and French knots. 

What You'll Make: Choose from two designs while making these handmade, embroidered Christmas ornaments. Whether you choose to make a deer or a bird, you’ll leave this class with a beautiful three-dimensional Christmas ornament ready to be hung wherever you please. 

Materials Required: 

  • Printed design
  • Embroidery hoop
  • Fabric
  • White carbon paper - white (or designs printed on water-soluble paper)
  • Felt
  • Embroidery thread
  • String
  • Raffia
  • Sewing thread
  • Needles
  • Pins
  • Seed beads
  • Stuffing
  • Scissors
  • Heat-erasable pen

Why We Love It:
You can get ahead of your Christmas decorations by cozying up for this little hand-sewing project. You can clear your head between each stitch as you learn the ins and outs of how to make a handcrafted ornament. 

Embroider a Christmas ornament and bring the magic of handmade crafts into your home!

Wrap Up Your Fall Self-Care Journey with Skillshare

While it’s important to work in self-care activities every season, spending time crafting in the fall can help combat the effects of an earlier sunset and the colder weather. It’s the perfect time to cozy up and embrace the reflective nature of autumn. You can take some time to explore the Skillshare classes you liked most and pick a few that you would like to try out over the next few weeks.

If you’re working on putting more self-care activities into your schedule, you might even add a class or two to your calendar in order to reserve some creative time for yourself. Skillshare also has thousands of other creative classes where you can knit a new sweater for the cooler winter months or learn to bake a cake that’d be perfect for your next dinner party. 

To access all of these courses, you can sign up for Skillshare, and you’ll be on your cozy fall self-care journey before you know it.

Written By
Calli Zarpas

Calli Zarpas

Producer & Writer by occupation. Ceramicist & Newsletter Editor by avocation.

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